Who deserves ‘the votes of the honorable,’ asks Al-Sadr in Najaf meeting

NAJAF — Shiite National Movement leader Muqtada Al-Sadr convened a meeting with his followers at his residence in Najaf’s Hananah district on Sunday to discuss Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for Nov. 11, according to a statement posted by Saleh Mohammed Al-Iraqi, also known as “Wazir Al-Qaid.”

Al-Iraqi, whose true identity remains undisclosed, serves as the principal spokesperson for Sadr’s movement. He is widely recognized as a key intermediary, often delivering directives from the cleric through social media platforms.

Writing during the ongoing meeting, Al-Iraqi said, “He [Al-Sadr] asked us: Which of the electoral blocs, in your view, can include in its program: ‘Independence without dependency; monopoly of arms by the state; strengthening of the army and police; disbanding militias; integrating the Popular Mobilization Forces into the security services or reorganizing them; commitment to patriotism; exposing the corrupted; and striving for reform?’”

Al-Sadr also questioned what guarantees, if any, could be secured from these political blocs in exchange for what he described as “the votes of the honorable.”

The cleric reaffirmed his boycott of the elections in a recent post on his personal X account, citing both political and religious objections.

Also on Sunday, Al-Sadr expelled 31 individuals from his movement, including nine members of its armed wing, Saraya Al-Salam, for defying his order to abstain from participating in the elections.

Sadr’s bloc won 73 out of 329 seats in the October 2021 elections, emerging as the largest parliamentary faction. He called for a majority government that would sideline Iran-aligned parties but failed to form the necessary alliances. In protest, he ordered his lawmakers to resign, triggering a political deadlock that lasted months and ultimately ended with the formation of a consensus government led by his Shia rivals.